‘Our losses enabled others to keep from losing far more.’ Recognizing the Bellefonte Class of 2020

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic cut their senior year short, the Bellefonte Area School District Class of 2020 had already faced challenges, with a major renovation project making Rogers Stadium unusable for all but one home football game in their junior year.

Teachers and class advisers Ashlie Crosson and Carla Cipro said the class handled what came next — closure of schools in March, cancellation of the spring sports season and an abrupt end to the creation of senior memories, with “tremendous maturity and character above and beyond what could be expected of young adults.”

On Friday, BASD will hold a drive-thru commencement for its 193 graduating seniors.

“We recognize that this year has been extremely unique and not one that any of us expected,” Bellefonte Area High School Principal Mike Fedisson wrote to seniors and families. “Yet,we offer a heartfelt congratulations to the Class of 2020 and a thank you to all of the families for your patience and support as this plan has been developed.”

What makes the BASD Class of 2020 special?

Ashlie Crosson and Carla Cipro, teachers and class advisers: The Class of 2020 has been an ambitious, creative and unique class since the beginning. Over the past four years, we have been so impressed with their camaraderie, sportsmanship and work ethic. No senior class deserves what’s happening to the 2020 graduates, but they have handled it all with tremendous maturity and character above and beyond what could be expected of young adults. It has been a great honor to serve as their advisers; we can’t wait to see the ways they impact the future.

Natalie Book, class of 2020 president: During our junior year, delays concerning Bellefonte’s rebuilding of Roger Stadium robbed our school of the fellowship and opportunities surrounding hosting home football games. However, upon returning to a brand-new stadium our senior year, our enthusiasm and appreciation for not only the new field but the chance to be together was unmatched.

Even though our senior celebrations and memories are not what we had anticipated or hoped for, we understand that our losses enabled others to keep from losing far more. Furthermore, we know from the experiences of our junior year, this season of disappointment will pass and when it does we will come through COVID-19 with a new appreciation for the friends that accompany and the opportunities that await us. As a class, we will make a greater difference in the world because we have learned not only writing and arithmetic but lasting life lessons of self-sacrifice and gratitude.

Honors

Valedictorian: Elizabeth Hargrove

Salutatorian: Keeli Pighetti

The BASD Class of 2020

Kaitlyn Alterio

Luke Baney

Tynnia Barnhart

Trae Bauman

Gabrielle Bean

Tyler Benner

Blake Berenty

Nicholas Bergman

Logan Bernier

Conner Bitner

Kayla Bitner-Bruss

Hunter Blair

Natalie Book

Alec Bossert

Kiara Boughton

Alexa Bressler

Selah Brown

Zebadiah Brungard

Thomas Bumbarger

Demetri Butts

Robert Cain

Dillon Campbell

Annalee Caprio

Shaun Carey

Nicholas Catalano

Stephanie Catalano

Marianne Chico

Owen Christopher

Colton Clark

Chyeanne Coble

Ezekiel Confer

Jacob Confer

Madison Confer

Sarah Conner

Tyler Cooke

Alex Coppolo

Casey Corso

Jeremy Cousins

Hope Cox

Austin Craig

William Crater

Shane Cronin

Madison Dagen

Kalista Darney

Dustin Deitrich

Zane Deitrich

Lindsay Dillon

Alexander Doebler

Kevin Doyle

Nicholas Dugan

Ethan Ebeling

Mackenzie Ebeling

Nicholas Edwards

Alexander Eichenlaub

Julian Emel

Riley Emel

Jenna Etter

Lilith Evans

Mercedes Evans

Alexis Facer

Dakota Featherer

Aidan Fennessey

Linzy Fetterolf

Jaidyn Fountain

Gunner Fravel

Maya Fulton

Carter Funk

William Gairloch

Haley Gardner

Hunter Gardner

Dennis Gerasenko

Logan Gettier

Logan Giffin

Alyssa Glace

Zoe Goff

Anna Goodrow

Austin Greene

Mason Grey

Emily Hagenbuch

Elizabeth Hargrove

Abigail Harper

Sara Hart

Jason Harter

Robert Harvey

Matthew Heggenstaller

Brian Hill

Aaron Hillard

Mitchell Holden

Andrew Hollars

Alexis Hosterman

Emily Hovies

Kyle Hoy

Mackenzie Hubbs

Ashley Ishler

John Jennings

Hailey Johnson

Taylor Johnson

Taylor Kerr

Anna Klena

Ahleah Krout

Cooper Lachat

Vincent Lawrence

Delilah Ledesma

Ryan Lehman

Rachel Lexon

Scott Liliedahl

Aaron Little

Nathan Long

Alexander Lomartire

Austin Martin

Brady Martin

Jordon Mathias

Jakob Matis

Luciano Mazzotta

Benjamin McCartney

Carson McChesney

Clayton McClelland

Calen McCloskey

Megan McClure

Tala McCool

Celina McGrail

Sierra McIntosh

Jillian McKee

Evan McMullen

Kara Mellott

Ethan Mikesic

Shayna Miller

Cameron Murray

Tyler Muse

Emily Musser

Katie Mussett

John Nastase

Morgan Nichols

Alexis Osborne

Maya OShea

Kacee Oswalt

Sarah Owens

Rylin Pacella

Logan Paige

Conner Payne

Amber Peacock

Andrew Peters

Keeli Pighetti

Jasmine Platt

Karlie Pletcher

Alexander Poulin

Breanna Praskovich

Nolan Putnam

Olivia Reiter

Skylar Ridenour

Chelsea Robson

Marty Rockey

Ian Rogers

Phoebe Rowland

Trinity Rupert

Hunter Sell

Elisa Shadow

Brittany Shawley

Jessica Shearer

Grace Sherman

Cassandra Shinham

Amber Shirey

Anna Simmon

Mallorie Smith

Chelsea Snook

Alexandra Spencer

Samuel Sprout

Madison Steiner

Isaac Stem

Christian Stitzer

Dylan Stock

Brooke Stroud

Tarin Sunday

Jack Swarm

Dylan Taylor

JaVaun Taylor

Karalee Tedrow

Dahrran Teeter

Charles Theuer

Logan Thompson

Sully Tibbens

Daniel Tishchenko

Sarah Tobin

Katherine Uchneat

Logan VonGunden

Hunter Walk

Alina Watson

Tre Wilson

Rachael Witmer

Brianna Woomer

Tara Woomer

Dylan Young

Morgan Zweig

This story was originally published June 2, 2020 at 8:01 AM.